Should all people or only scholars light an electric lamp before an idol of God, instead of an oil lamp?

[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on April 04, 2021, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]

[Śrī Rajashekar asked: You have taught us that we can switch on an electric lamp instead of lighting an oil lamp before a statue of God to avoid pollution. Does this apply to everyone or only to scholars? I got this doubt because in the Bhagavad Gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said that scholarly people (Jñānīs) do not do the many actions that ordinary people do. A child learns writing by practicing writing each letter multiple times. Gradually, the child learns and need not practice anymore. Likewise, even we need not do many actions (karmas) once we gain correct spiritual knowledge. So, if we switch on a tube light instead of an oil lamp before God, can we realize the Ātmā Jyoti and by remaining as Paramātmā, can we do all our actions (karmas)?]

Swāmi replied: Neither electric lamp nor the oil lamp is needed for God. It is only just your satisfaction that a lamp is lit before the statue or photo of God by which you will have psychological happiness that you are serving God. All these rituals are only remedies for psychological ignorance. The lamp is necessary for you to see the statue of God. It is not necessary for God to see you. Hence, you lit the lamp just for your convenience. In such case, what is the use of the oil lamp when the electric light already exists? Why do you burn the oil to cause pollution? Why don’t you give that oil to a deserving poor fellow to help him in his cooking? Oil is precious food containing energetic fats. God will be extremely pleased by such service. Of course, if the electricity goes, you can lit the oil lamp or let Me tell you more precisely that you can lit the kerosene lamp because kerosene can’t be used in cooking food like the oil. In good olden days, kerosene was not available and electricity was also not available. Hence, burning the oil was inevitable and hence, we can’t find fault with our ancient people. But, what to say about the present day ignorant people, who just imitate ancestors blindly without doing any logical analysis!

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